Smiling through freezing gusts of wind while handing out heart-shaped pink cards to those passing by the Park Street T stop yesterday morning, Victoria Steinberg and Merry Stricker could have simply been two women a few days early for Valentine’s Day greetings.
However, the two women were not alone; Steinberg and Stricker were one pair among other card-givers from the Massachusetts chapter of The National Organization for Women that dispersed across T stops throughout Boston yesterday to spread the word about House Bill 1149.
House Bill 1149, the first Civil Unions legislation filed in Massachusetts, would grant same-sex couples the same protections, rights and responsibilities that have been assumed by heterosexual marriages for years. For the past two years, Mass. NOW has given cards and information out at T stops on Valentine’s Day supporting domestic partnership rights and same-sex marriage legislation.
‘It puts a different face on Valentine’s Day,’ said Steinberg, the Legislative Director of Mass. NOW and only full-time staff member. ‘Same-sex couples are marginalized on and around Valentine’s Day, which tends not to be a celebration of all couples. We hope this calls attention to the injustices.’
The pink, heart-shaped cards asked citizens to contact their legislators in support of House Bill 1149, and read, ‘The quality of a relationship is more important than the gender of those in it.’
Mass. NOW expects to hand out more than 7,000 cards between yesterday and Friday, when volunteers will be at T stops again.
In addition to the two women at the corner of Park and Tremont Streets, Mass. NOW had volunteers at the Harvard Square T stop, Government Center and Downtown Crossing.
Volunteers took a 45-minute break from the cold to attend a worship service at the Church of St. John the Evangelist, in observance of National Freedom to Marry Day, before hitting the streets again, staying out until 6 p.m.
‘People have been friendly, a couple of folks have thanked us,’ said Steinberg, mentioning that pro-legislation State Representative Alice Wolf came by to show support.
‘I think it’s incredibly important that same-sex couples have the same rights as heterosexual couples,’ said Stricker, a Mass. NOW board member, who stood near Steinberg holding a sign that read, ‘LOVE is in the air…and EQUALITY is in the making! Support equal rights for all!!!’
‘So far no nasty comments, but we expect some,’ Steinberg laughed, before dispensing another Valentine to a man bundled up in a brown jacket and black hat pulled low over his eyes.
‘What’s this?’ the passerby asked Steinberg. After Steinberg explained the reason behind the card and her chilly undertaking for the day, the man shot her a glance and chuckled.
‘I don’t know if he’s laughing out of joy or what,’ said Steinberg with a smile as the man quickly went along his way to escape the frosty temperatures Steinberg promised to weather.
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